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川 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
川
Chuān
river
j, 3 strokes, radical 川, rank #6000, Hard
川
Chuān
creek
j, 3 strokes, radical 川, rank #6000, Hard
川
Chuān
plain
j, 3 strokes, radical 川, rank #6000, Hard
川
Chuān
an area of level country
j, 3 strokes, radical 川, rank #6000, Hard
川
Chuān
stream, river
j, 3 strokes, radical 川, rank #6000, Hard
川
Chuān
abbr. for Sichuan Province 四川[Sì chuān] in southwest China
j, 3 strokes, radical 川, rank #6000, Hard
川
Chuān
abbr. for Sichuan Province 四川[Si4 chuan1] in southwest China
unknown, 3 strokes, radical 川, rank #6000, Hard
Chuān(Chuan1)chuan T1
1river
2creek
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
川Chuān(Chuan1)
The character 川 (chuān) primarily means 'river' or 'creek' and can also refer to plains or areas of level country. It is commonly used to denote waterways and is an abbreviation for Sichuan Province, known for its rich geography and culture centered around rivers.
Strokes3Radical川Frequency#6000DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, rivers are significant not only for their geographical importance but also for their symbolic meanings in poetry and art. Sichuan, associated with the character 川, is famous for its hotpot and rich culinary traditions, heavily influenced by its river systems.
Memory tip
Imagine a flowing river (川) that carves through the land. Visualize the water moving smoothly, which helps you remember that 'chuān' means river. The character looks like three flowing streams converging, reinforcing its meaning.
Meanings of 川
Chuān(Chuan1)
1river
2creek
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 川 means.
About 川
川Simplified
3Strokes
川Radical
简称abbreviation (abbr.)Part of Speech
#6000Frequency Rank
Podcast: 川
Podcast: 川
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AI study notes for 川
Quick Contrast
河 (hé) - use 河 when specifically referring to a river, while 川 can denote broader waterways or plains.
Usage Notes
川 is often used in geographical contexts, but it can also appear in idiomatic expressions related to water. Be cautious with its tone; it is pronounced with a first tone (high and level). Avoid confusing it with other characters like '山' (mountain) which has a different meaning.
HSK Study Tips
Although 川 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with other words related to nature and geography at this level, such as '河' (he, river) and '湖' (hu, lake). Students should focus on pronunciation and context to differentiate these terms.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 川 with 河 (he), leading to incorrect phrases like '我住在川' (I live by the river) instead of '我住在河边' (I live by the riverbank). Ensure you use the correct character based on the size of the water body.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 川
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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 川 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
The character 川 (chuān) primarily means 'river' or 'creek' and can also refer to plains or areas of level country. It is commonly used to denote waterways and is an abbreviation for Sichuan Province, known for its rich geography and culture centered around rivers.
When to use 川
川 is often used in geographical contexts, but it can also appear in idiomatic expressions related to water. Be cautious with its tone; it is pronounced with a first tone (high and level). Avoid confusing it with other characters like '山' (mountain) which has a different meaning.
川 or something close to it
河 (hé) - use 河 when specifically referring to a river, while 川 can denote broader waterways or plains.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 川 with 河 (he), leading to incorrect phrases like '我住在川' (I live by the river) instead of '我住在河边' (I live by the riverbank). Ensure you use the correct character based on the size of the water body.
Write 川
川
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Practice writing 川 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 川
川 carries 7 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
我的故乡伊利诺伊州一马平____。
My home state of Illinois is flat as a pancake.
Example sentences for 川 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我的故乡伊利诺伊州一马平川。
wǒ de gùxiāng yī lì nuò yī zhōu yī mǎ píng Chuān。
My home state of Illinois is flat as a pancake.
2
他在川流不息的人群中东躲西闪。
tā zài chuānliúbùxī de rénqún zhōng dōng duǒ xī shǎn。
B : And the food! I hear the cuisine is quite hot.
9
四川菜以麻 、 辣、五香味而著称.
sì Chuān cài yǐ má、 là、 wǔ xiāngwèi ér zhùchēng.
Sichuan cuisine is noted for its tingling, pungent and spicy flavor.
10
B是呀,四川风味是以辣为主. 比其他所有风味都辣.
B shì yā, sì Chuān fēngwèi shì yǐ là wéizhǔ. bǐ qítā suǒyǒu fēngwèi dōu là.
B Yes. Sichuan food is really spicy. It's hotter than other food.
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Word Family of 川
Compounds20
州zhōuprefecture
顺shùnto obey
训xùnexample
驯xúntame, obedient, docile
侃kǎnupright and honest
卅sàthirty, thirtieth
氚chuāntritium
圳zhèna furrow in a field; a small drainage ditch
夼kuǎngdepression, hollow, low ground
巟huāng
玔chuàn
甽zhèn
紃xún
钏chuànbracelet, armlet
杊xún
汌chuàn
訓xùnto teach, to instruct; pattern, example; exegesis
釧chuànbracelet, armlet
順shùnto submit to, to obey, to go along with
馴xúntame, obedient, docile
Words containing this character16
川Chuānriver
四川sìchuānSichuan province (Szechuan) in southwest China, abbr. 川 or 蜀, capital Chengdu 成都
冰川bīngchuānglacier
四川省sìchuānshěngSichuan province (Szechuan) in southwest China, abbr. 川[Chuān] or 蜀[Shǔ], capital Chengdu 成都[Chéngdū]
德川déchuānTokugawa, the ruling clan of Japan from 1550-1850
仁川rénchuānIncheon Metropolitan City in Gyeonggi Province 京畿道[Jīngjīdào], South Korea
中川zhōngchuānNakagawa (Japanese surname and place name)
银川yínchuānYinchuan city, capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 寧夏回族自治區|宁夏回族自治区銀川
川菜chuāncàiSichuan or Szechuan cuisine
周小川zhōuxiǎochuānZhou Xiaochuan (1948-), PRC banker and politician, governor of People's Bank of China 中國人民銀行|中国人民银行[ZhōngguóRénmínYínháng] from 2002
川崎chuānqíKawasaki (name)
银川市yínchuānshìYinchuan city, capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 寧夏回族自治區|宁夏回族自治区[NíngxiàHuízúZìzhìqū]銀川市
四川大学sìchuāndàxuéSichuan University四川大學
川流不息chuānliúbùxīthe stream flows without stopping (idiom); unending flow
川芎chuānxiōngchuanxiong rhizome
河川héchuānrivers
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 川
What does 州 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 川
You can say '这条川很大' (zhè tiáo chuān hěn dà), meaning 'This river is very big.'
While it primarily refers to rivers, it can also describe other water bodies like creeks, and is used in geographical names.
川 generally refers to smaller rivers or creeks, while 河 refers to larger rivers.
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